Sep 24 2018
ACA Reduced Uninsured Rate for New Mothers
Before the ACA, many new mothers who were covered by Medicaid for delivery lost coverage within six months of giving birth. But after the implementation of the ACA, the uninsured rate among women who had given birth in the past year fell by 41 percent from 2013 to 2016. And in states that expanded Medicaid, the rate was cut by more than half. Despite this progress, more than 1 in 10 new mothers still lacked coverage in 20 states in 2015-16. Instead of supporting programs that expand coverage for new mothers, the latest House Republican budget called for $1.5 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and other health programs.
Sep 24 2018
September Economic Snapshot of the States
Although the U.S. economy overall continues its expansion following the Great Recession and associated financial crisis, the recovery can look very different from state to state. The lion’s share of economic gains are not only concentrated at the top of the income and wealth distribution, but also in a small share of regions. While some parts of the country have surged ahead, millions of Americans in urban and rural communities are still waiting for their wages to start rising again and struggling to make ends meet.
American medical pioneers make groundbreaking advances every year, from growing organs in petri dishes to performing robot-assisted surgeries. Yet the United States has some of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates in the developed world. Though multiple measures exist, approximately 700 women lose their lives to complications during pregnancy and delivery every year, and research shows that more than half of these deaths are preventable. For every woman that dies in childbirth, 70 more experience complications that threaten their post-maternity health and may require expensive medical treatment well into the future. The total cost of care for treating preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure that is a leading cause of death for mothers in the year after giving birth, exceeded $2 billion in 2012.
Sep 20 2018
Rebuilding Puerto Rico's Grid
Hurricanes Irma and Maria shattered Puerto Rico a year ago, leaving behind widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis. In addition to the devastating human toll, the storms devastated the already crumbling infrastructure on the island, particularly the aged electrical power grid. Reliable electric power is foundational to a well-functioning society and to long-term economic growth. In most parts of the United States, it is easy to take for granted the security that comes from dependable electricity. In Puerto Rico, however, Americans are still struggling to access reliable electricity a year after Hurricane Maria wiped out power across the island—the longest blackout in U.S. history.
Sep 19 2018
Puerto Rico: One Year After Hurricane Maria
Sep 17 2018
Tax Cuts 2.0 Overwhelmingly Benefits the Wealthy
Republicans unveiled a second round of tax cuts for the wealthy last week. The new law, similar to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, heavily skews its benefits to the wealthiest Americans. The top 20 percent of households would see almost two-thirds of the benefits. And the top 5 percent of wealthiest households in the country would see more than 40 percent of the benefits. On top of this, it will add substantially to the debt, costing nearly $600 billion from 2019 to 2028 and about $3 trillion from 2029 to 2038, even with dynamic scoring. Furthermore, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, it would also shrink the economy in the long run.
